Signaling apparatus



Jan. 3, 1928. 7 1,655,364

R. GROSS SIGNALING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 12. 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENTOR ATTO R N EY WlTiESS: 7M

Patented Jan. 3, 1928.

' i Y "RALP Gross, on NEW Yoitx', N. Y. I

SIGNALING PPARATUS.

. Application filed February 12, 1927. Serial No. 167,806;

This invention relates to signaling apparatus and is an improvement overmy U. S. Letters Patent No.- 1,628,663, dated May 19th, 1927 and has forits primary object the provision of an electrically controlled deviceactuated by means carried on the locomotive of a train for warning theengineer of the locomotive of any impending danger. v n Another'objectis to provide colored signa-l lights within the cab of a locomotive,these lights beingcontrolled by the same current and which indicate theentrance and exit of the train from the signal zone, these signals beingvisible to an engineer irrespective of darkness.

A further object is to provide a mechani: cally operated'register, alsounder the control of the same current, and having a recording meansactuated thereby. 7

Another, object is to provide such apparatus in the form of a smallcompact attachment readily applied to a locomotive cab without anymaterial change therein and without interference with the usualparaphernalia contained therein. 7

Another object of the invention is to provide agenerator on thelocomotive from which the signal apparatus may obtain its energy insteadof taking it from the live Wire or third rail usually disposed along thetrack.

A still vfurther object resides in a signaling apparatus which includesa danger signal with which a suitable means is employed forautomatically applying the brakes of a train to bring the same to acomplete stop,

With these and other objects in view, the invention resides in certainnovel construction and combination and arrangement of parts, theessential features of which are hereinafter fully described, areparticularly 7 pointed out in the appended claim, and are which v Figurel is a side. elevational view of a conventional locomotive operating ona track, and illustratingthe application of the invention.

illustrated in the. accompanying drawing, in

Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional view of Figure 4 isIa diagrammaticview showing the signaling device as-used in connection with a railroadswitch.

Figure 5 is a 'diagrammatic view showing railroad crossing signal.

60,. the inventionas used in connection with a,

In the draw-ing, the numeral 10 designates the road bed or trackwaysupplied with railsv on which thereis alocom'otive 11, shown asadvanomgtowards a signal mast 12having an arm .13 of the usual typecpivoted near its top. 7 The arm 13 is movable by an. arm 14,-

entering a switch box 15 secured to the mast,

and connectedto a slottedlever 16 pivoted at 17, this pivot being theterminal fora conductor 18 leading toa conductor-rod 18-.

The lever 16 may beiactuatediby anyjofi the usual'trackside. signalcontrol devices,

adapted to engage either not shown, and is of threecontacts 19, -;20 and20Hwithin the box 15.

Alongsidethe trackway are {masts 21 lh aving downwardly bent springloops22 at theirupper ends, the downturned portion of these loopsbeinguniformly directed towards the rails and provided with spaced insula- 5tors for carrying contact rods 23,24, 24 and conductor rod 18, thecontact rods 23,

24and 24 jbeing connected by conductors;

25, 25 and 26 1 with the contacts 19,, 20 and 20 respectively.

A'hollow-casing 27 having a transparent front 28 is secured in the cabof theTlocomo-T tive closelyadjacent its wall 11 andmount-v ed on the:outer side of the wall 11 are bowedspring cont-actors29, 30, 30 and 49 1adapted to make wiping contact respectively with the rods 23,24, 24 and18. i

A small electro-motor 31 is mounted in the casing 27, the same beingbolted to a trans I "verse partition- 32 in the lower part of thecasing, this motor driving a. reducing gear train 33, the last gearofwhich is' fixed on] a spindle 34 mounted in the casing.

Fixed onthe spindle is a drum 35 towind a blank strip of paper 36 actingas a register, the blank being wound from another drum 37 mounted on aspindle near the top of the casing.

Three styli 38, 39 and 39 arepivoted on a rod 40, each beingcounterbalanced by a weight 41, and carried by the styli are armatures42, 43 and 43, respectively operated by electro-magnets 44, 45 and 45carried on p the partition 32.

On top of the casing are light signals 46,

47 and 47, respectively red, green and yellow and these, together -withthe electromagnets 44, 45 and 45 and motor 31, are

wired to receive current from the main conductor rod 18, as conveyedfrom the locomotive through spring contactor 49.

The wiring is so arranged that when the semaphore arm is in a loweredposition current is conveyed from the conductor 18,.

lever 16, contact 19, conductor 25 and rod 23 to the contactor 29 andthence to the lamp 46, motor '31, electro-magnet 45 and dynamo /Vlmnthis contact becomes broken, the

current is cut oil and the motor ceases running; at thesame time the redlight 46 I ceases to display a signal.

It will be appreciated that it" the semaphore arm is moved intoengagement with either of the contacts 20, 20 the circuits which theycontrol will be closed when the contactors and 3O engage the respectiverods 24. and 24 to actuate the respective lights and other apparatus inthese circuits.

Also employed in each of the parallel circuits of the lights, is anelectric bell or audible alarm 50 which will sound when each respectivecircuit is closed to notify the engineer of the exhibition of a signal,in the'event that his attention is not attracted by the lights and themovementof strip 36.

To bring the train to an abrupt stop when the danger signal is operatedand not observed, I provide an electro-magnet 51 which is arranged in acircuit, is parallel with the red light 46 and which magnet whenenergized, attracts one end of a pivoted armature 52. The other end ofthe armature is provided with a valve head 53 which normally seals theair brake line, 54, of the train. The valve is held in closed positionby a spring 55, the tension of which is overcome by the energizing ofthe ma net 51. VVhen' the magnet 51 is energized, the valve head 53opens the air line, permitting the air to exhaust which automaticallycauses the brakes of the train to be applied.

The valve is held opened by a latch member 56 which automaticallyengages the armature 52 when actuated by the magnet, and in order torelease the valve to permit it to return to a closed position, it isnecessary for the engineer to manually disengage the same from thearmature 52.

A manually operable switch 57 is arranged along the track some distancein advance of the switch 61 so that if a rail road switch is open, theswitch 59 is closed which in turn closes the circuit 58 and forewarnsthe engineer by the lighting of the yellow light so that he may proceedwith caution.

In Figures 1 and 5, I have shown an additional conductor 62 which iscarried by the locomotive and which is arranged in an electrical circuit63 with the generator 48, conductor rod 18, contac-tor 49 and an addedrod 64, which rod together with the rod 18 is adapted to be mountedabout one-quarter of a mile in advance of a railroad crossing. Alsoarranged in the circuit 64 is a signal 65 in the nature of a bell, and avisible signal 66 in the form of a light, The bell and light aredisposed at the crossing to warn automobilists and persons that a trainis approchiug the crossing and beware of the same.

What is claimed as new is In combination with a trackway having roadsidesignals including a movable semaphore arm and a locomotive and the airbrake line thereof, of masts arranged adjacent the roadside, spring armson said masts, rods insulated from said spring arms and extendingcontiguous to the path of the locomotive, contactors carried by saidlocomotive to engage with said rods respectively, a casing on thelocomotive, lamps respectively red, yellow and green carried on saidcasing, an electric motor in said casing, a drum driven by said motor, arolled strip of. material capable of receiving marks actuated by saiddrum, an electro-magnet arranged in circuit with each lamp, a styluscontrolled by each magnet to mark selectively on said strip, meanscontrolled by the position of said semaphore arm to energizesaid motorand selectively actuate the styli, said means also causing selectiveillumination of said lamps, and means operable by said semaphore armwhen moved toone of its positions for exhausting the air from said airline.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature.

RALPH GROSS.

